The Right Reverend

Francis Cocks

CB
Bishop of Shrewsbury
ChurchChurch of England
DioceseDiocese of Lichfield
In office1970 to 1980
PredecessorWilliam Parker
SuccessorLeslie Lloyd Rees
Orders
Ordination1937
Consecration1970
Personal details
Born(1913-11-05)5 November 1913
Died20 August 1998(1998-08-20) (aged 84)
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglicanism

Francis William Cocks, CB (5 November 1913 – 20 August 1998) was a British Anglican bishop and military chaplain. He was the Bishop of Shrewsbury from 1970 to 1980.[1]

Early life and education

Cocks was born on 5 November 1913 into an ecclesiastical family – his father was William Cocks sometime Vicar of Felixstowe, rural dean and honorary canon of St Edmundsbury Cathedral.[2] He was educated at Haileybury, a private school in Hertford Heath, Hertfordshire.[3] He studied history at St Catharine's College, Cambridge.[3] He trained for Holy Orders at Westcott House, Cambridge.[3] He was an active rugby player for Cambridge University R.U.F.C., playing in The Varsity Match in 1935, Hampshire county, the Eastern Counties and Wasps.[2][4]

Ordained ministry

Made a deacon on Trinity Sunday 1937 (23 May)[5] and ordained a priest that year's Advent (18 December 1937) — both times by Cyril Garbett, Bishop of Winchester, at Winchester Cathedral.[6] He served his title as curate of Highfield Church; in the Second World War, he was a Chaplain in the RAFVR until 1945, and then the Service itself, eventually rising to the rank of Chaplain in chief from 1959 to 1965 (he was also Archdeacon of the RAF), and for the same latter period he was Canon Emeritus at Lincoln Cathedral. He was awarded the Companion of the Bath (CB) in 1959.[2]

From 1965 until 1970 he was Rector of Wolverhampton when he was appointed to the episcopate,[7] a post he held for a decade.[8] He was consecrated a bishop on 24 February 1970, by Michael Ramsey, Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster Abbey.[9]

Later life

He retired to live at Felixstowe[10] where he died on 19 August 1998, aged 84.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975/6 Lambeth, Church House Publishing 0108153674
  2. 1 2 3 "Who was Who" 1897-2007 London, A & C Black, 2007 ISBN 978-0-19-954087-7
  3. 1 2 3 4 Waine, John (1 September 1998). "Obituary: The Right Rev Frank Cocks". The Independent. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  4. ↑ Cleary, Mick, ed. (1999). Rothmans Rugby Union Yearbook 1999-2000. London: Headline. p. 431. ISBN 0747275319.
  5. ↑ "Trinity ordinations". Church Times. No. 3879. 28 May 1937. p. 649. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  6. ↑ "Advent ordinations". Church Times. No. 3909. 23 December 1937. p. 727. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  7. ↑ Church News New Bishop of Shrewsbury (Official Appointments and Notices) The Times Wednesday, 17 December 1969; pg. 12; Issue 57745; col E
  8. ↑ The Times, Tuesday, 29 July 1980; pg. 14; Issue 60689; col A Church news Resignation of the Bishop of Shrewsbury
  9. ↑ "picture caption". Church Times. No. 5585. 27 February 1970. p. 1. ISSN 0009-658X. Retrieved 10 October 2019 – via UK Press Online archives.
  10. ↑ Home address given in Who Was Who.


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